It’s Part Two in the Dramatic Two-Night Television Event! As expected, NONE of the preview clips matched the Kenny the Wrestler vs. The Snake kerfuffle. And perhaps because of the build-up to the resolution of their hostilities, the rest of Part Two in the Dramatic Two-Night Television Event felt decidedly low-energy for me. As hoped,... Continue Reading →
"We just wrote this song about two weeks ago. Would you like to hear something brand new?", Steve Perry asks the crowd. That "something brand new" - Separate Ways - had not yet been recorded and would go on to become a classic among classics. In the area of critical commentary, it's fascinating to hear the different vocal... Continue Reading →
While it’s normal for normal people to have a favorite Christmas song, it’s likely only a deranged but otherwise friendly, neighborhood Muser who has a favorite Fathers Day song. That song is One for Daddy-O on the album Somethin’ Else by Cannonball Adderley. Recorded and released in 1958, this excellent album is widely regarded as being... Continue Reading →
So it turns out that DeMario is doin’ some double dealin’. Did any of you (honestly) have that? My daughter Cassandra totally called that during the opening teasers.[1] I’m torn on this. On the one hand, Rachel - have I mentioned how much I like her? – seemed genuinely upset about the whole deal. And... Continue Reading →
The bell has tolled. [Gregg Allman] caught that train 'n' gone. Thank you, Gregg Allman. While I can’t say that I was a big Allman Brothers fan (this Eurocentric, urban Yankee always found southern rock too southern for his tastes) you and the band did open the door for me to become a lifelong fan of the blues.... Continue Reading →
Finally putting the rumors and speculation to rest, ABC announced that it has reached a deal to bring Idol back perhaps as soon as March 2018. As always, my primary interest in this development is about the business of Idol as a zero-to-hero star-making vehicle. Its entertainment value to me is based on how good they are... Continue Reading →
The other night I got a random text from my friend JT – sadly, not that JT - asking me my three favorite Rolling Stones songs. In my first text back, I protested at the impossibility of answering such a question, especially considering the immediacy of a response that a text usually implies. And then... Continue Reading →
Ray's Musings 